NHS Digital Weight Management Programme

The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme supports adults living with obesity who also have a diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, or both, to manage their weight and improve their health.

It is a 12-week online behavioural and lifestyle programme that people can access via a smartphone or computer with internet access.

Who can be referred?

Referrals to the programme are only for people that meet the following criteria:

• are over the age of 18
• have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more (adjusted to ≥27.5 for people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds)
• have a diagnosis of diabetes (type 1 or type 2), hypertension or both.

Who cannot be referred?

Any person that meets any of the following exclusion criteria should not be referred to the programme:

• recorded as having moderate or severe frailty
• is pregnant
• has an active eating disorder
• has had bariatric surgery in the last two years
• people for whom a weight management programme is considered to pose greater risk of harm than benefit.

For people aged over 80 years old, the referrer will need to confirm on the referral form that a weight management programme is considered likely to pose greater benefit than harm.

How to start the programme

To start your journey to a healthier lifestyle, you need to speak to your GP or a local pharmacist who can refer you to the programme.

Please note that GP and pharmacy teams may be very busy at this time.

At the MacMillan Surgery, you can prebook appointments with our nurses/HCA’s over the phone or have a face to face consultation to be referred into the programme.

You can visit this site for more information: NHS England » The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme